After building up MSC Cruises from next to nothing in a challenging South American market, Roberto Fusaro is now in Ft. Lauderdale and part of the team that will build up the Italian brand in North America.

“Our DNA, our identity, which has been adrift over the last few years, is that we are a Spanish cruise line,” said Richard Vogel, president and CEO of the Pullmantur Group, managing both Pullmantur Cruises and Croiseres de France (CDF).

On the 100-passenger American Independence, which offers itineraries on domestic waterways, Captain Gregg Scheiferstein said a small maneuverable boat (American Cruise Lines calls their vessels boats) like the Independence can navigate into places the big ships can’t get near.

“The attention to detail and establishing a core product to make sure we have an execution that is as close to perfect as possible is one of our strong points,” said Jason Hale, hotel director aboard Holland America Line’s Rotterdam. “We don’t overstretch ourselves by trying to do something that may look like a good idea but fails to be perfect.”